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CHARLES E. THOMPSON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 76,273, dated March 31, 1868.

turnover) CURTAIN-mrusissron essences, et.

@tige rlumlev refrmttn im their ttters'atent mit mating met uitte same.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, CHARLES THOMPSON, of the city and county of NewHaven, in theState of Connecticut,` have invented a new and usefulImprovement inCurtain-Fixtures for Carriages, &c.; and I do herebydeclare that the following isa full,clear, and'exact description of theconstruction, character, and operationv of 'the same, reference beinghad te' the vaccor-1 1panying-drawings, which make part of thisspeciiicatiomin'which- Figure l isla perspective vien' of the apparatuswhen ready for use.

Figure 2 isa section of the'saine, cnt.longitudi,nally throughthe'centre, lshowing the spiral spring, &c.

Figure 3 is a perspective of the movable head of the bindingcollar,orthat portion of the collar-which contains the pieceY of India-rubber`tubing, which supplesthe place ofor enables 'me to dispense with theratchet-wheel.`

Figurel: is a. perspective view of the binding-collar and outward head,showingthe binding-lever which vholds the curtain at the desired point,'and the internal spring which Inake's the lever effectual.

My improvement consists in using within the collar and on the endof theshaft,a piece of plain India-.rubber tubing, sustained by a suitable.metallic socket which, revolves on the, main rod or `shaft ,'and asuitable lever Working on a fulcrum-pin within the collar,the inner endof which lever I bevel essentially to a point or edge,

.and a suitable spring ivithin the collar torfact upon andsforce theinner end or point of the lever against and into the yielding convexlsurface of the India-rubber tube, so as-to stop the curtain at anydesired point, while the end ofl the-lever by which -it is Workedextends outside, so that it may-be easily worked by a cord and tassel torelease the curtain and /al'lovv it to,v be rolled up bya suitablespringwithout the use of any ratchet-wheel, o r other noisy device, ashas heretofore been used on spring-roller curtains. I y

I make and fit the rod or shaft spring B, *case cr'roller C, and knobsor studs D and D', and solder the heads E and F to the endsofthe -case Cin the usual way,as shown in figs. 1 and 2. i In the central part of thehead E, I fit a metal socket or short tube, as shown ata, fig. I3, andindicated at a a, fig. 2,`Which dts so loosely as to run freely on therod or shaftA, 'when the ease C is being revolved leither by the cordorthe spring. On the outside of this socket or tube a, I t or stretch apiece of plain India-rubber tubing', as represented at Mg. 3, andindicated in section` at b'b, fig. 2, which will adhere so closely tothe socket a as not to' be movedby the operation ofthe spring B, orthedrawing down of thecurtain Gr, and of a. thickness to aiord thenecessary elasticity for yielding to the point or edge e of the lever Hc, as indicated in fig. 2, so that'the'casc C cannot be revolvedbut inone way while the inner arm c of the lever H is under the'iniiuence ofthe internal spring d. I'malre the binding-lever H c to Work on'afulcru-m-pi'n, as e, figs. 1, 2, and 4, with its inner end bevelledessentially to a point or edge, as shown at e, fig. 4, so that it may,bythe force ofthe spring d, be caused to press upoin and indent theVIndia-ruhber tubing, Aso as to resist the force of the spiral spring B,and thereby cause the cur,- tain Gto remain at any pointer position.which may be desired at any time, and'yet, when drawing the curtaindown, the point or edge e willlpas's smoothly and silently over theouter surface of the VIndia-rubber tubing withoutany essentialresistance, like that of '.friction. I make the collar g and outer headL substantiallyas represented in'figs. 4 andil, so that -it may: containthe socket a, India-rubber tubing 15, inner end c of the hiudingdeverI-I e, and curved spring 0l, allasvrepresented in figs. 4 and 3. Andupon the outer surface of the head L, I cast oriit a'square projection,as representedat L, figs. 1, 2, and 4, to enter the knob or stud D',figs. l. and 2, to prevent'the rodA, collar g, and head L fromturningivhen the curtain G is drawn doi'vn, so that the act of draivingdown the curtain will wind up the spring B, and leave it in such a.situation that, when released, it will wind the curtain up as before.-

Having made the several parts, as beforedescribed, fitted the spiralspring B, attached and wound up the curtain in the usual nay, I stretchthe piece of Indialrubbertubi'ng b ori to the socket or tube a, and'puton the collar r, raising the pointe of the binding-lever or'triggeruntil it passes outside ofthe India-rubber tube I1, and solder orotherwise'secure the projection i to the rod A, as indicated at Z, fig.2, and insert the ends of the rod into the studs D and D,and screw'thestuds on to the'frame of the coach-door, or any other frame desired,when the wholeivill ,be really for use, as shown in figl l. I draw downthe cnr-tain G by thel tasscLM, while the point c of the binding-leveror trigger will Ipass freely over the smooth surface of the tube .butwhen I cease todraw 't down, the action of the 'two springs B and d willpress the point c into the yielding convex surface of the Indiadubbertupe b, and -hold it firmlyv in the desired position `-against the ationof the spring'B. And when I desire to roll up'the curtain, I pull downthe tassels N, which are attached to the outer end H of thebinding-lever H c, which, by its vibrating on the fulerum-pin e,willraise the inner end c from the surface of the India-rubber tube b,and allow the spring B to roll up the' curtain; .all ofl which is donewith entire smoothness, and without the least noise. Y

What Iy c ltim as my invention, and desir-ero secure' by vLettersPatent, is The combination of -th metal socket a and India-rubber tube bwith the binding-lever c H and the springs d and B, when they areconstructed, arranged, and fitted for use7 substantially as 4hereindescribed and set forth.

' CHARLESE. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

ABNER L. TRAIN, R. FITZGERALD.-

